(Picture: Action Images)
By Chris Bailey
KIERON MORRIS has learned not to take his job security for granted after fearing the game was up at Walsall last year.
After nearly three months out of the first-team picture, his loan move to Non-League Wrexham in January 2015 felt all too much like the last-chance saloon with his contract up that coming summer.
Fortunately for the winger – and perhaps even more so the Saddlers – he not only stood out in north Wales but won many friends by netting a derby-day winner against Chester.
The 22-year-old has hardly been out of Walsall's squad since that loan move was cut short and as boss Jon Whitney warned last week, “some players get discarded too quickly and Kieron could easily have been one”.
If his first full campaign at Walsall in 2015/16 was a success, the start of this season has been even better with four goals to boast about from his first 14 appearances.
Holding all the cards in contract negotiations, Morris has penned an extension until 2019, but the temptation to now rest on his laurels is not in his nature.
“It's great having that sorted and know that I've got an extra year,” he said. “I've got more games, scored more goals, and what I want to do is start week-in, week-out.
“When I was on loan at Wrexham 18 months ago, I was struggling a bit knowing that I was going to be out of contract in six months' time.
“It was always in the back of your mind, but because I did so well there I got recalled and that put my confidence back up.
“I knew that I needed to impress at Wrexham and they were a great club to be involved at. I scored four goals while I was there and it was a good standard.
“Ever since being recalled I wanted to prove myself. Luckily the old gaffer (Dean Smith) gave me a chance and though I was in and out of the line-up all last season, it was still pleasing to make 42 appearances.
“I've started with more goals this year and hopefully I can get to double figures this season to reward their faith.”
Before Wrexham came loan spells at minnows Worcester City and Leamington and even a pre-season game at Icelandic club IBV although, as Morris concedes, he was not cut out for island life.
But despite spending time with Manchester United during his teenage years, Morris has never been conceited enough to think that he was destined to become a professional footballer.
“I went up for a couple of months to Manchester United during the half-terms and for them to not offer me a contract after that was disappointing – everyone wants to be associated with a club like that,” added Morris. “But they in turn put me in contact with Walsall.”
Morris has only grown in influence at Walsall after Whitney took over from Dean Smith in March – particularly with key men such as Tom Bradshaw (Barnsley), Romaine Sawyers and Rico Henry (both Brentford) all having departed during the transfer window.
Unsurprisingly, the Saddlers have yet to recapture the form that led them into the League One play-offs last season but no panic buttons are being pressed, according to Morris.
“It's a different team from last year – we have lost ten players and we have found it difficult to gel as a team,” added Morris. “But I think that togetherness is starting to come through after going on a run without a win in the league for six games.
“We have got the ability with plenty of technical players, so we've got the attacking side of the game down. We just need to do a job defensively and get the two sides of the game working together.”
*This article originally featured in The FLP on Sunday 23rd October.
